Coffman Ready For Challenge

Mark Janssen

04/30/2009

Carson Coffman and Josh Freeman were great friends growing up in Kansas City, and stayed the same as teammates at Kansas State during the last three years. Now, it's Coffman, who will replace Freeman as the starting quarterback for the Wildcats.

"Following Josh (Freeman) ... those are big shoes to fill. He was a great player here and he will be a great player in the NFL," said the 6-foot-3, 212-pound junior. "I feel like I am pretty well prepared to follow in his footsteps. I backed him up for three years and I think I have an idea of what it takes to play this position in the Big 12. I am excited to get out there and show people what I can do."

Coffman has enjoyed good days on the practice field this spring, but also felt the wrath of the coaching staff on other days.

Heading into Saturday's 3 p.m. Purple-White game, coach Bill Snyder said, "Carson, in the last two days, has made a big jump in his performance. For the most part, in a scrimmage environment, he has been going against both our one's and our two's. He is still extremely inconsistent, but he has taken some steps in the past two days."

In particular, Snyder said "ball security" has been an area of improvement, as well as accuracy with his throws.

"He's feeling more comfortable with the offense. He's learning new terminology and new schemes," Snyder said. "He's trying to become comfortable with his progressions, and to do it more rapidly."

And the quarterback says the same: "I'm starting to play rather than think. I feel like I am getting a better grasp on the offense. I am really starting to feel comfortable in the plays, knowing what my receivers are going to be doing, and knowing where the holes are going to open up. These last couple of practices, I feel like I have been playing pretty well."

Playing behind Coffman are a pair of redshirt-freshmen in Collin Klein and Joseph Kassanavoid.
As for which is No. 2, Snyder said, "I couldn't count anyone out at this particular point in time."

Of his new quarterback, receiver Brandon Banks offered, "Carson is a laid-back guy. He's quiet, but when we put the pads and helmets on, he's a different type of guy. He's a leader out there, and he's trying to get better every day. He's a pretty cool guy, not a rah-rah guy. But when he steps between the lines, he knows how to be a leader."

Offensive guard Brock Unruh said that Coffman has always been a "great guy" who has displayed positive leadership qualities. Now he says, "He's making positive movements with this team."

Unruh calls it "measurable improvement" since the first few weeks of spring ball, but adds, "We are nowhere near where we need to be, but the improvement is a good sign that we are going in the right direction."

"Just getting coordinated and having everybody being on the same page has been a really big thing, in pass protection as well as run blocking," Unruh said.

"It is kind of the choreography of everything. We have to get everything put together, and it just seems like there are signs of us being able to do that. Being a cohesive unit is a really important part in being a good football team."